Ischemic Colitis: Current Diagnosis and Treatment

Ischemic colitis (CI) is a common form of ischemic injury, which evolves as a consequence of decreased arterial blood flow to the colon. In general, CI is attributed to an elderly with multiple comorbidities; however, it may also occur in young or middle-aged individuals. The etiology of CI is multifactorial and the clinical presentation varies upon the severity of deprivation of the intestinal blood flow, and the development of the microvasculature plexus. Multiple case reports have associations with medications, vascular disorders, pathogens and hematologic diseases. Occlusive and non-occlusive diseases are the major mechanisms, which are simultaneously the causative factor of intestinal ischemia. In this review, we discuss major factors predisposing to occurrence of CI and analyze the mechanisms of action of several classes of medications currently used. We also suggest possible therapies and discuss the latest reports, which may lead to the discovery of novel pharmacological targets for future anti-CI drugs to be used in the clinical treatment.